Ahoy Shipmates
Welcome to instalment one of our brief mini-series of weekly instalments focussed on the Aces of the Deep- the Top Ten U-boat Commanders of World War 2.
Lieutenant Commander Georg Lassen was a former German U-boat captain who served with the Kriegsmarine during World War 2. He was a Watchkeeping Officer on U-29 at the outbreak of the war and later the skipper of the U-160 and winner of the Iron Cross. He sank 26 ships for a total of 156,082 gross register tons (GRT) during 4 patrols, leading to a remarkable average of 39,020 GRT per patrol. His total tonnage made him the 10th most successful U-boat Ace of the war.
Image courtesy of www.u-boat.net/
Georg Lassen was born in Steglitz, a Berlin suburb on May the 12th 1915. He joined the Kriegsmarine as a Seekadett on the 25th of September 1935.
When World War 2 broke out, Lassen was an Oberleutnant zur See and serving as I. Wacht Offizier (1st Watch Officer) on U-29 under Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart.
While serving with U-29 Schuhart sank 13 ships, including the aircraft carrier HMS Courageous. This was without a doubt a superb training and mentoring experience for this young officer as later events would evidence.
On the 3rd of January 1941 Lassen assumed command over the U-29, which served as a training boat in 24. Unterseebootsflottille at this point in its service life. He ended his command on the 14th of September 1941.
On the 16th of October 1941 Lassen commissioned the Type IXC U-boat U-160. He spent approximately four months training the crew and testing the boat with 4. Unterseebootsflottille, before U-160 became operational and was transferred to 10. Unterseebootsflottille on the 1st of March 1942.
U-160 left on her first patrol in early March 1942. During this patrol Lassen sank or damaged six ships for a total of 43,560 GRT. On the 10th of August 1942 he received the Ritterkreuz. On the 1st of September he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant. On his fourth and final patrol to South African waters in March 1943 he sank or damaged six ships in less than 5 hours for a total of 41,076 GRT during the night between the 3rd March and 4th of March. On the 9th March he received a radio message awarding him with the Eichenlaub (oak leaves) to his Ritterkreuz.
On 9 March, 1943 the daily Wehrmachtsbericht announced:
“Der Oberste Befehlshaber verlieh dem Kapitänleutnant Georg Lassen als 208. Soldaten der deutschen Wehrmacht das Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz. Kapitänleutnant Lassen hat auf 4 Feindfahrten 31 Schiffe mit 212,544 BRT versenkt. Zwei weitere Schiffe wurden von ihm torpediert. Siebzehn Schiffe mit 101,860 BRT schoß er aus stark gesicherten Geleitzügen heraus.”
I have translated and edited this as follows and please be aware that my German is very basic and I hope this is reasonably accurate:
“The Supreme Commander has awarded Lieutenant George Lassen the Eichenlaub to Knight’s Cross. Lieutenant Lassen has been on 4 Patrols and sunk 31 vessels with 212,544 GRT sunk. Two more ships have been torpedoed by him on his current patrol.”
Image courtesy of www.u-boataces.com
On the 14th of June 1943 Lassen was transferred away from U-160 to take up duties as a tactics instructor and commander of the "Offiziers-kompanie" in 1. U-Boot-Lehrdivision, a training unit for future U-boat commanders. On the 1st of April 1945 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän.
It appears that whilst a very successful officer with a fine war time career Georg Lassen has maintained what many would consider a low profile and very little specific common knowledge is known of his life after the war.
This episode is dedicated to this outstanding Ace of the Deep.
Georg Lassen, born in 1915, is the tenth ranked of the 10 Aces of the Deep and the only one reportedly still living. He sank 26 ships for 156,082 tons and set out below are the very impressive statistics of his outstanding career achievements as an “Ace of the Deep”.
Ranks attained
25 September, 1935 Seekadett
1 July, 1936 Fähnrich zur See
1 January, 1938 Oberfähnrich zur See
1 April, 1938 Leutnant zur See
1 October, 1939 Oberleutnant zur See
1 September, 1942 Kapitänleutnant
1 April, 1945 Korvettenkapitän
Statistical information courtesy of www.u-boat.net/
Decorations received
26 September, 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class
18 July, 1940 Iron Cross 1st Class
18 July, 1940 U-boat War Badge 1939
10 August, 1942 Knights Cross
7 March, 1943 Knights Cross with Oak Leaves
22 October, 1944 U-boat War Badge with Diamonds
Statistical information courtesy of www.u-boat.net/
Patrol summary
U-boat 160 Departed on the 24th of February, 1942 from Wilhelmshaven and arrived at Helgoland on the 24th of February, 1942. A total patrol of 1 day
U-boat 160 Departed on the 1st of March, 1942 from Helgoland and arrived at Lorient on the 28th of April, 1942. A total patrol of 59 days
U-boat 160 Departed on the 20th of June, 1942 from Lorient and returned to Lorient on the 24th of August, 1942. A total patrol of 66 days
U-boat 160 Departed on the 23rd of September, 1942 from Lorient and returned to Lorient on the 9th of December, 1942. A total patrol of 78 days
U-boat 160 Departed on the 6th of January, 1943 from Lorient and arrived at Bordeaux on the 10th of May, 1943. A total patrol of 125 days
Statistical information courtesy of www.u-boat.net/
Vessels hit by Georg Lassen
27 March, 1942 Equipoise
29 March, 1942 City of New York
1 April, 1942 Rio Blanco
6 April, 1942 Bidwell (damaged only)
9 April, 1942 Malchace
11 April, 1942 Ulysses
16 July, 1942 Beaconlight
18 July, 1942 Carmona
21 July, 1942 Donovania
25 July, 1942 Telamon
29 July, 1942 Prescodoc
2 August, 1942 Treminnard
4 August, 1942 Havsten (damaged only)
16 October, 1942 Castle Harbour
16 October, 1942 Winona (damaged only)
3 November, 1942 Chr. J. Kampmann
3 November, 1942 Gypsum Empress
3 November, 1942 Leda
3 November, 1942 Thorshavet
6 November, 1942 Arica
11 November, 1942 City of Ripon
21 November, 1942 Bintang
8 Feb, 1943 Roger B. Taney
3 Mar, 1943 Harvey W. Scott
3 Mar, 1943 Nirpura
3 Mar, 1943 Tibia (damaged only)
4 Mar, 1943 Empire Mahseer
4 Mar, 1943 Marietta E.
4 Mar, 1943 Sheaf Crown (damaged only)
8 Mar, 1943 James B. Stephens
11 Mar, 1943 Aelybryn
Statistical information courtesy of www.u-boat.net/
Look out for next weeks instalment as we focus on our next Ace of the Deep and if you know your U-Boat Aces you just know it will be a "good un".
Cheers
Sean
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